vyt voices summer 2014

Dear Readers,

I am proud to bring you the final issue of VYT Voices featuring the 2013-2014 Vermont Youth

Tomorrow A*VISTA team.

It seems like only yesterday that we were gathered together in Montpelier for our August 2013

orientation.

In this newsletter, I asked members to discuss their achievements and legacy at their sites. I

hope that you enjoy reading their stories and reflections. Please join me and the VYT staff in

thanking them for their service.

In service, Anna Houston VYT A*VISTA Leader 2013-2014 VYT Voices Editor

Volume 12

Issue 3

Vermont Youth Tomorrow

A*VISTA Program

VYT VOICES

Summer 2014

I ns i de th i s

i s sue :

Justin Henry 2

Ashley Piatt 3

Daron Blake 4

Michelle Sayles 5

Ali Siegel 6

Anna Berg 7

Alaina Wermers 8

Kate Cahalane 9

Sara Pierce 10

Mark Hengstler 11

Emily Johnson 12

Chelsea Ambrose 13

Hilary Watson 14

Alex Prolman

Hannah Reckhow

Ashton Kulesa

15

15

15

Ryan Morra 16

Amanda Udoff 17

Julie Markarian 18

Victoria Davis 19

Caitlyn Wyneken 20

Marcella Houghton 21

Allie Pflughoeft 22

Nikita Griffin

Steph Olsen

23

23

VYT Contact Information 24

The 2013-2014 VYT A*VISTA team at the end of service

celebration in Randolph, VT.

This past year I served as the

Communications and Outreach

Coordinator for both the

Vermont Affordable Housing

Coalition (VAHC) and the

Vermont Coalition to End

Homelessness (VCEH).

Throughout my service I worked

to strengthen capacity and

deepen the collaboration between

both coalitions. Housing

insecurity and lack of safe and

affordable housing are among the

most serious issues facing

low-income Vermonters. Both

VAHC and VCEH play critical roles

in in increasing affordable housing

options and reducing homeless-

ness for Vermont families.

This year I have developed for

both Coalitions new communica-

tion strategies, and

increased our information sharing

to each coalition’s members and

the public. I also assisted in the

launch of a new website for VCEH

and an updated and improved

blog for VAHC. My position, joint-

ly serving the two organizations,

has helped increased collabora-

tion between those in the afford-

able housing world and those

working in the homelessness

services field. I organized many

meetings and events that were

attended by members of each

coalition. Being the Communica-

tions Coordinator I shared critical

information, resources, and best

practices which contributed to

developing stronger relationships

among the 80 plus organizations

of both VCEH and VAHC.

A specific project I also took a

lead role in was in the planning

and implementation of this year's

Point-In-Time (PIT) Count of the

state's homeless population. The

PIT Count is critical for numerous

organizations and in securing

funding for HUD Continuum of

Care & Emergency Solutions

Programs, HHS Runaway &

Homeless Youth Programs,

Veterans Affairs Homeless

Programs, and others.

I believe my service has

contributed to improving the

efficiency of both coalitions in

their service to low income

Vermonters. My sense of

accomplishment this year

comes from seeing more

people become part of the

conversation, more involved, and

more aware of the issues many

Vermonters face and the

challenges we must overcome to

end homelessness in the state.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Justin Henry, VYT A*VISTA member

The Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition &

the Vermont Coalition to End Homelessness

Burlington, Vermont

Save the date!

On September 12, 2014, AmeriCorps members across

the country will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of

AmeriCorps. Here in Vermont, join us at the statehouse and

online for a special event! Additional details will be available

in the coming weeks on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Justin at the VAHC-VCEH office.

My service is important to my

community because I have spent

the last year building and

strengthening connections

between the people through my

service site. Through the

mentoring program, I have

helped to foster positive,

one-on-one relationships between

adults and children. I have also

spent the year building

connections between the 4—6th

grade students that come to the

Open Center program to help the

older and younger kids learn from

one another socially in a safe and

nurturing environment. I have

built connections between the

Cornerstone Bridges to Life

Community Center and other

local organizations, groups, and

individuals by helping with PR for

events and collaborating on

community service projects. I

have also developed a connection

between my community and the

AmeriCorps program so that the

youth know there is an

opportunity for them to travel,

serve people, and get an educa-

tion in the professional and per-

sonal sense. I may not get to see

the end result of my service, but I

know that I have made a

difference in the lives of people

in this community. And that is

enough of a legacy for me.

Ashley Piatt, VYT A*VISTA member

Cornerstone Bridges to Life Community Center

Richford, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Ashley with the Girls on Track team.

“I have also developed a connection between my community and the AmeriCorps pro-

gram so that the youth know there is an opportunity for them to travel, serve people,

and get an education in the professional and personal sense.”

As I complete my year of

service with Mobius, Vermont’s

Mentoring Partnership, I leave

many statewide initiatives to be

continued and expanded by the

next AmeriCorps VISTA in this

position. 2013 and 2014 have

been busy years for Mobius as the

organization expands into its new

role as the statewide mentoring

partnership. In my role as the

Communications and Technology

Specialist, I have created Ver-

mont’s Mentoring Newsletter, a

monthly e-newsletter which con-

nects mentors, programs, and

community partners across the

state. This newsletter also reach-

es our national partners and helps

to solidify Mobius’ online presence

and out of state connections.

In the second half of my year of

service, my focus has been on the

statewide expansion of the Mobi-

us Mentor Discount Card, a re-

source for mentor pairs which

connects the mentoring move-

ment with community businesses.

The previous mentor discount

card focused on Chittenden Coun-

ty businesses, and as of Septem-

ber 2014, this card will include

businesses across Vermont. I am

currently contacting existing busi-

ness partners to renew and up-

date our agreement, while com-

municating with mentors and

mentoring programs to identify

new business partners which

could offer useful discounts to

mentor pairs. This card provides

affordable activities for volunteer

mentors to share with their

mentees.

I am excited to see where the

next VISTA takes this program in

the coming year. Initiatives like

the newsletter and mentor

discount card are multifunctional;

these projects strengthen the

connections within the statewide

mentoring movement, and also

provide affordable and accessible

opportunities for mentors and

young Vermonters to share and

connect with their local

community.

Daron Blake, VYT A*VISTA member

Mobius, Vermont’s Mentoring Partnership

Winooski, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Daron & ECHO AmeriCorps member Nyame Nti Aya Fawohodie serve

together at Community Science Night for mentoring programs at ECHO.

ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center is one of the many organizations

offering discounts for mentors through the Mobius Mentor Discount Card.

In the nine months, I‘ve started

carving out a niche for myself in

the City of Burlington as not just

a transplant serving temporary

deployment, but as a more

long-term resident and integral

piece of this community.

Committing myself to a year of

service was my initial goal, but I

soon realized that to fully support

the efforts of the tenant

associations I was helping to

form, I would need to recommit to

another year and carry on the

work I had started. My role has

been one of mentor and counse-

lor, always listening to, learning

from, and interpreting the stories

that I hear to unite neighbors in

common purpose. I have seen

residents struggling to create in-

clusive tenants group when so

many of their neighbors do not

share a common language. In

one of the buildings where I work,

residents wonder how they can

help spread the word to all of their

neighbors when something as

simple as the elevator breaks, or

help when a person is locked out

of their apartment. If you are

living as a non-English speaking

refugee in a large multifamily

housing development, your ability

to take part in meetings and share

in the flow of information through

a building can be limited. Now in

some buildings, I am helping

resident leaders incorporate those

concerns into the important topics

that need to be addressed. For

those with language barriers, or

those who are unaware of their

rights as tenants, the most essen-

tial role that I can play is that of

an educator. I’ve seen residents

light up with enthusiasm reading

through HUD regulations and

manuals as if they held the key to

a higher state of dignity. Step by

step, I see that spreading this in-

formation can help others over-

come the poverty that is borne of

not knowing one’s own worth.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Michelle Sayles, VYT A*VISTA member

Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition

Burlington, Vermont

“For those with language barriers, or those who are unaware of their rights as tenants,

the most essential role that I can play is that of an educator.”

Michelle is guided through a maze by her VYT teammates during a team

building exercise at VYT training.

I stood in the cold water, watch-

ing the DREAM youth and men-

tors explore the area around the

base of the waterfall. As the wa-

ter crashed on the rocks below, I

couldn't help but reflect on how

the three mile hike to see this

majestic waterfall could serve as

a metaphor for how much can be

accomplished in a single year. As

a Program Empowerment VISTA,

my role is to support two of

DREAM’s Local Programs, which

pair college student mentors with

youth from low-income housing

neighborhoods, and to ensure

those college students have the

tools to be effective mentors. The

hike to the waterfall was part of

the Bennington College/

Willowbrook Local Program’s

culminating experience - an

overnight camping trip in Jamaica

State Park.

Some sections of the trail were

flat and easy, allowing me to chat

with the youth and mentors as we

hiked. Similarly, a large part of

my role has been to build rela-

tionships with the mentors and

families and to support them

through the weekly tasks of

being a DREAM mentor.

Other parts of the trail were

steeper, so we stopped for water

breaks often as we climbed

toward our destination. These

more difficult sections reminded

me of the challenging times

throughout the year when I meet

with mentors often to check in

and work with them through any

issues. Through it all,

however, we continued

toward our goal of mak-

ing it to the

waterfall just as through

the year, we all work

toward creating

supportive, enriching

programming for youth

living in poverty.

Completing the hike with

the Bennington Local

program was particularly

exciting because they

truly had a year of

growth. They started the

school year with only four

returning mentors and more than

ten youth who were active in the

program. I thought back to the

initial meeting I held with them in

September, when we developed a

recruitment strategy to bring on

new mentors. Back then, I never

imagined they would be taking

such an ambitious trip for their

culminating experience - their

first overnight trip - let alone that

they would have recruited enough

mentors to welcome five new

youth to DREAM. I supported

them through the process, but

they truly took ownership of their

program. As a result, they were

able to provide a positive,

educational outlet for DREAM’s

youth and visited a beautiful

waterfall in the process.

Ali Siegel, VYT A*VISTA member

The DREAM Program

Bennington, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Bennington DREAM youth and

mentors at Jamaica State Park.

Why is my service important to the community?

Young people come to our program looking for

Opportunities to engage in their communities as they learn to navigate adult life, an

Undertaking not easy for those who have aged out of the foster care system.

Those who participate in our youth leadership activities do so because they

Hope to use their personal experiences to help better the lives of youth still in-care.

Looking forward, we are building a program that

Empowers youth to become leaders in their communities as well as

Advocates for themselves and those in-care who are not being heard.

Developing these kinds of skills can help lead to a more

Enriching life for the youth we serve.

Reflection on both personal and group goals, identifying individual

Strengths, and developing lasting positive relationships are cornerstones to

Healthy youth development. The combination of

Inviting youth to take part in these activities while also providing a way for them to become

Partners in child welfare, is immensely important to them, as well as the broader community.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Anna Berg, VYT A*VISTA member

Youth Development Program, Washington County Youth Service

Bureau/Boys & Girls Club, Montpelier, Vermont

Youth play Juvenile Justice Jeopardy at the YDP Annual Youth

Conference in April.

Two years. It’s so difficult to

believe that it has been almost

two years since I started my

AmeriCorps service with the City

of Winooski. It has gone by in a

flash, but at the same time our

department and I have come a

long way since August 2012.

When I started my service in Au-

gust 2012, our department, Com-

munity Services, was brand new

as was my supervisor who is the

Department Director. This was a

very exciting time to come into

this position and organization be-

cause we were building this de-

partment from the ground up. It

incorporated many programs that

were already in existence includ-

ing the library, the Senior Center,

youth programs, community gar-

dens, parks and trails, and the

O’Brien Community Center.

Bringing these programs together

has created stronger programs

and services including the volun-

teer program which I coordinate.

Prior to the creation of our de-

partment, each program did its

own recruitment and coordina-

tion. During my service here, I

have created a more centralized

process from recruitment to

recognition. Volunteers now be-

long to our Volunteer Program

and have an additional layer of

support beyond the programs

they volunteer for. Beyond that,

many of our programs were able

to work together on Global Youth

Service Day. We had projects at

the library, at the Senior Center,

and in the parks.

Over these past two years, I have

also seen myself change and feel

that I have learned so much

about myself. I don’t think that I

would have grown the way I have

– professionally and personally –

if I hadn’t served. I have learned

where my interests and strengths

lie, gained a better understanding

of my values, and increased my

self-confidence.

Alaina Wermers, VYT A*VISTA member

City of Winooski Community Services Department

Winooski, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Glo

bal Y

ou

th S

ervice Day - S

enio

r Te

ch H

elp

As an AmeriCorps VISTA serving

with DREAM in White River

Junction, I am in a unique

position because my apartment

is connected to the community

center, where my office is

located. This inevitably ties me

to the families I interact with,

and makes me an available,

accessible, and approachable

neighbor. While this makes it a

bit more difficult to “leave the

office” at the end of the day, I

feel my presence in the commu-

nity has made a big dif-

ference. My impact can

be seen in the relation-

ships I have built and the bonds

I have helped strengthen be-

tween families, youth and

DREAM mentors. I am more

than an AmeriCorps VISTA to

the families here; I am a neigh-

bor and a friend.

The larger impact of my

presence here is perhaps not as

quantifiable as some of my other

accomplishments, but it is

noticeable. I have been able to

see what goes on here

day-to-day and can be a bridge

between mentors and families.

Mentors have really appreciated

the knowledge I can share with

them about the community and

the families; this allowed for

more open lines of communica-

tion between mentors and fami-

lies. With the central office being

located in South Burlington, my

position is crucial to the success-

ful connection of Dartmouth Col-

lege and DREAM mentors to

DREAM staff and I feel more

successful as a VISTA for this.

Kate Cahalane, VYT A*VISTA member

The DREAM Program

White River Junction, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Three DREAM youth say hello through Kate’s office window.

Located in the Northwest corner

of Vermont, some of the issues

facing the community include a

lack of public transportation and

a lack of access to books and

educational materials. Although

the area is fortunate to have a

wonderful network of libraries,

residents often lack a way to ac-

cess them, which is where the

Bookmobile comes in.

With its main focus on early

childhood education, the

Bookmobile also visits homeless

shelters, senior residences, and

community centers, providing a

wide array of services to all ages

of the community.

A few of my favorite memories

occurred during visits to a pre-

school located on the Champlain

Islands. Although this particular

school district is one of the

poorest in the state, that doesn’t

affect the excitement of the kids

when the Bookmobile comes for

a visit. The kids are always hap-

py to see me and one little girl

always insists on sitting on my

lap and having me read a story

(and won’t get up until I do).

During our last visit of the year,

the kids were sad we were leav-

ing and insisted on giving out

hugs, showing the differences

we’ve made through their

attitude and excitement towards

books.

Another great story happened

one day as we were dropping off

book donations to one of our

outreach stops. A woman saw

me come in and started looking

through the pile of books I

brought. She seemed very

excited, and I asked if she want-

ed any more. I went back to the

Bookmobile, and grabbed anoth-

er handful of books to give to

her, and she was thrilled to take

them home for her kids.

This past year I’ve been

fortunate enough to serve a

community that recognizes the

value of the Bookmobile and all

the services it provides, and it’s

great to know that I’ve helped

continue the legacy of such a

valuable community resource.

Sara Pierce, VYT A*VISTA member

Franklin-Grand Isle Bookmobile

Swanton, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

The 5K in Enosburg, VT that Sara helped organize to benefit the Franklin

Grand Isle Bookmobile was a success—even in the pouring rain!

At DREAM, where relationships

are at the heart of our work,

where they’re continuous and ev-

er-evolving, subtle and difficult to

quantify—achievements can be

hard to tack to the wall.

It’s not that we don’t have them;

achievement permeates our work,

especially in this season of gradu-

ations and new beginnings. But

there are no stories that

demonstrate the impact of our

programming without also pulling

into their gravitational orbit new

questions. A mentee gets into

college with the help of a mentor,

but gets nervous in the summer

and decides not to go. Could we

have supported her better? A

family we work with saves money

and is able to move out of afford-

able housing, but they move far-

ther away than our mentors can

travel. Can we better support a

mentee as he ends his time with

DREAM?

Similarly, reflecting on my

achievements in service this year,

I encounter more questions than

answers. I recruited and trained

UVM students to mentor youth

at Salmon Run Apartments, our

newest Burlington housing

community, which certainly felt

like an accomplishment. But will

these mentors succeed when the

real work starts—that of sustain-

ing a relationship when it begins

to feel stressful, boring, difficult?

I’ve challenged college mentors

(and challenged myself) to ques-

tion tightly-held feelings about

poverty, about growth and ac-

complishment and success. But

with mentors now graduating,

and with me soon leaving my ser-

vice role, I wonder where these

questions will take us.

Last year, when I moved to Ver-

mont, I didn’t know anyone, and

my hope in joining AmeriCorps

was to build relationships to peo-

ple in my community. I’ve started

that work now. But thinking back

through this year, the process of

forming these connections feels

more important, that is, more

open to examination and growth,

than any direct result.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Mark Hengstler, VYT A*VISTA member

The DREAM Program

Burlington, Vermont

Mark and a DREAM mentee ski at

Bolton this past winter.

Life After Service—Ashley Piatt

When I initially joined AmeriCorps VISTA, I thought it would only be for one year and then would

head to graduate school. Life had other plans. As I am nearing the end of my first year as a VISTA,

I am overjoyed (and slightly nervous) to start another year in the program as VISTA Leader. This

past year serving in Richford, VT has done so much to help me grow as a person and a

professional. I can't wait to see what this next year has in store!... Maybe next year I'll make it to

graduate school??"

A few weeks ago I was working

on a project inside, when some

kids called my name through the

open door. It was recess and

they really wanted to help with

the garden. I never turn down

garden help, but I was pretty in-

volved in this project so I

thought, “Alright, we’ll do some

watering, and then I’ll get back to

the project.” My first two helpers

were all set up with watering cans

when some other kids came over

and said they wanted to help too,

but that they really wanted to

plant something. "Well, alright,

we’ll stick some kale and other

starts in the ground and then I’ll

get back to my project," I

thought. As we planted away, I

gave the first helpers their reward

(a piece of kale harvested then

and there to snack on), when

even MORE kids came over, want-

ing some kale. I told them that

the way to get some kale is to

help out in the garden, and before

I knew it, half an hour had gone

by and my eight helpers and I are

out there weeding, watering,

planting and eating kale, having a

great time. It wasn’t until that

day out in the garden that it real-

ly hit me that our garden program

is a big success. Over the course

of the year, some of these kids

have gone from a disdain of green

leafy vegetables to wanting to eat

anything in sight in the vegetable

patch. (The preschoolers pretty

much ate their way through the

radish patch in two days). I also

realized that these kids were

choosing to spend their recess

cultivating and eating

vegetables. Through the farm-to-

school program and the school

garden, these kids are becoming

connected and compassionate hu-

man beings with an understand-

ing of the food systems that sup-

port us.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Emily Johnson, VYT A*VISTA member

The Schoolhouse Learning Center

South Burlington, Vermont

Emily and some Schoolhouse students plant seedlings in the school

garden.

Over the course of the year, some of these kids have gone from a disdain of green leafy

vegetables to wanting to eat anything in sight in the vegetable patch. (The preschool-

ers pretty much ate their way through the radish patch in two days).

As I wrap up the first quarter of

my service I appreciate the space

to reflect on my service thus far--

in order to note how things have

gone and to tweak them to go

more smoothly in the future, to

realize what else I want to ac-

complish during my service, and

to plan in order to accomplish

those goals.

One area of my service that I’ve

been building on leading up to

now, and that I plan to fully dive

into as I plan Summer Camp

curriculum, is tying community

building to program development.

Since moving here in March, I’ve

been introduced to many

organizations and individuals in

the Springfield area- from gar-

dening groups, to local business-

es, non-profits, All-4-One’s fami-

lies, and more. One really con-

crete example of the community

coming together with All-4-One is

how so many different business-

es, organizations, and individuals

pitched in their time, knowledge,

and/or materials to start our

school garden.

As we look toward summer, we’re

so excited for all the fun activities

we have planned for the students.

I look forward to integrating

many projects and trips into the

community. Some ideas include

a kayak trip in town, a Springfield

scavenger hunt, community bike

rodeo, nature hike to the river

(armed with nets and micro-

scopes), a trip to an animal re-

tirement farm, BINGO at the Sen-

ior Center, and much more.

There are so many interesting

and educational opportunities for

the students in the Springfield

area; I can’t wait to engage the

students to learn more about

where they’re from, take pride in

Springfield and to play an active

role in their community.

Chelsea Ambrose, VYT A*VISTA member

All-4-One

Springfield, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Chelsea and All-4-One students on a nature hike led by a local environmental

group.

The Navicate student stood on

stage calm, quirky, witty as he

always was but this time the

words he strung together to meet

our ears were sincere, from the

heart, personal and

telling of the journey

he traveled through

his two month long in-

ternship.

Weeks prior I remem-

ber writing feedback on

his homework asking

him if, just once, he

could take our assign-

ments seriously. Frus-

trated, sometimes at

my wits end, I would

ask him why he de-

served an

internship. After all, he

hadn’t shown me that

he was professional

enough to complete a

task without carefully

crafting it into an elaborate joke.

I made the decision, however, to

place him. Deep down, I trusted

that he would succeed, flourish

and dare I say it, grow up,

outside of the school’s

walls. Sure enough, I was

right. On our final presentation

night, that student’s speech was

one of my proudest moments

from my year of service. Listening

to my student talk about what the

internship opportunity gave him

made me remember why we do

the work we do. He talked about

his initial anxieties around

navigating the professional world,

his vulnerabilities and, ultimately,

his growth derived from

realizing the importance

of five things: positivity,

courage, being willing,

assisting others, and

making connections.

For me, hearing my stu-

dent so earnestly share

those five guiding princi-

ples solidified why I feel

service is im-

portant. Service re-

minds us of the impact

we can make, the posi-

tivity we can spread, the

courage we can foster,

and the ties we can help

people make through

support and encourage-

ment. Together we build

a community that allows each

member to reach their full,

perhaps previously unknown,

potential.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Hilary Watson, VYT A*VISTA member

Navicate (formerly Linking Learning to Life)

Burlington, Vermont

“Service reminds us of the impact we can make, the positivity we can spread,

and the courage we can foster…”

A TIPS students learns about Biomedical Engineering.

At the City of Montpelier’s

Department of Planning and

Community Development,

enVision Montpelier started with

the writing of the 2010 Master

Plan and focuses on citizen partic-

ipation and the idea that Montpel-

ier’s residents should envision the

city’s future. As VISTAs with this

site, we support this mission by

helping the advisory committees

grow in sustainability and capaci-

ty to reach out to youth, be a

resource to low-income residents,

and reach Master Plan goals.

In this way, the projects we work

on are important to the communi-

ty in their ability to affect quality

of life, especially for Montpelier’s

youth and low-income communi-

ties. We work with the Central

Vermont Food Systems Council on

strengthening school gardening

programs to promote the future

nutrition of youth in the area.

Projects such as the Montpelier in

Motion bicycle and pedestrian

master plan affect the affordabil-

ity and safety of living in Montpel-

ier for everyone. And partnerships

with community low-income and

youth resources such as Another

Way strengthen the resources

that currently exist.

Through our work with the City’s

volunteer boards and

commissions, we help everyday

(busy) citizens of Montpelier

shape the future of their city--

helping to make it a healthier and

more affordable place to be.

Hannah Reckhow and Alex Prolman, VYT A*VISTA members

enVision Montpelier

Montpelier, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

The past few weeks at Willowell

have shown me the many

rewards that several months of

service as an AmeriCorps VISTA

can offer. My experiences with

this non-profit have been

engaging, challenging, and wholly

worthwhile.

Since the beginning of my

service, I’ve mentored and

supported high school students in

the Walden Project. At the end of

May, the group had their final trip

to Boston, which ended in a

graduation ceremony. Watching

these young people grow and

learn

over the

school

year has

been

one of

the best experiences of my life. I

am so proud of their accomplish-

ments and grateful that I could

support the program.

June was the end of the year for

Wren’s Nest, our wilderness

preschool. The 3-5 year-old

Nesters had a year full of

experiences they couldn’t have

found in a run-of-the-mill

preschool. Some truly magical

instances with foxes, voles,

salamanders, fawns, and the

changing seasons helped to make

this program go above and be-

yond.

I’m glad to know that my

assistance in making this

program happen has transmuted

into the shaping of young minds.

Ashton Kulesa, VYT A*VISTA member

The Willowell Foundation

Monkton, Vermont

Coyote Clan Campers and Volunteers for Peace during a Lord of the Rings themed battle at

Willowell.

I could measure my service in

numbers. I could count the num-

ber of students in the Big Picture

Program (30), multiply it by the

number of internships hours per

week (12) and then by the num-

ber of weeks in internships (24)

and come up with a number of

hours that our youth were being

mentored by volunteer internship

supervisors (8,640). I could count

the contact hours for the three

service-learning courses I helped

develop and run (approx. 150),

and the number of community

partners in each of those (over

20). I could add up the service

hours thus far in my first ten

months (1,840 and counting).

However, I would rather think

about the stories of the lives I

touched through my service. In

particular, the story of the Kindra.

Kindra was one student with

whom I connected on so many

levels. She participated in all

three of my service-learning

courses – “You Are What You

Eat,” “Planting Hope,” and

“Sustainable Transportation” –

and I was able to personally place

her in internships with organiza-

tions that had never hosted a Big

Picture student before - ArtsRiot

and Migrant Justice.

Her mother told me that a spark

lit up in her daughter around our

shared interests, which led her to

pursue things she would have

never known were possible on her

own. She is now about to begin

her pursuit of a degree in second-

ary education at UVM, focusing on

English-language learners, which

came directly out of her service

with Planting Hope and Migrant

Justice. I see that as one small

part of my legacy, and know that

the myriad new partnerships I

helped forge with organizations in

the community will serve to help

other Big Picture South Burlington

students into the future.

Ryan Morra, VYT A*VISTA member

Big Picture South Burlington

South Burlington, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Ryan and Kindra atop Mount Philo.

Life After Service—Julie Markarian

This September, I'll be starting my next journey at Wheelock College in Boston as a graduate student

in their Child Life and Family Centered Care program. I'll be working towards becoming a Child Life

Specialist, which is a pretty amazing career! Child Life Specialists work in hospitals with children and

their families, helping to normalize the abnormal, and oftentimes scary, experience of being in a

hospital through play therapy techniques. My year serving with Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports really

helped me prepare for this next step because I got to spend a lot of time playing outside with people

who have all different levels of ability! I'm sad to be leaving Vermont and VYT, but I feel ready and

excited to take on graduate school and my new career!

As I approach the end of my year

of service with the Washington

County Youth Service Bureau’s

Prevention Programs, I leave con-

fident that my efforts have made

a difference, both within my team

and for the community at-large.

After more than a decade working

with youth primarily in a direct

service capacity, I have valued the

challenge in taking on a role in

which the results from my work

aren’t as immediately evident, but

are more nebulous and might

show their impact long after my

last day at my desk.

Within my team, I feel that I have

made a difference by providing a

unique viewpoint both due to my

previous work and life experience

and from my mission as a VISTA.

Having worked with youth in set-

tings from camps to after-school

programs in locations ranging

from Texas to Vermont, I bring a

contrasting perspective to the

functioning of my team and the

balance and fusion of ideas have

served to enrich our program-

ming every week.

On a larger scale, I feel that serv-

ing with the prevention programs

has allowed me to be an active

participant in improving future

outcomes for Washington County

youth. Studies have shown that

youth who are active in safe spac-

es in the hours immediately after

school gets out are less likely to

engage in harmful activities such

as drug use, violence and vandal-

ism as well as being more likely to

finish high school and attend col-

lege, thereby reducing the likeli-

hood of facing poverty.

I feel that my year as a VISTA has

served me well for my future work

with youth. By understanding the

dynamics of “behind the scenes”

of youth work, I am better

equipped to tackle the service that

lays ahead.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Amanda Udoff, VYT A*VISTA member

Washington County Youth Service Bureau/Boys & Girls Club

Prevention Programs

Montpelier, VT

The contestants and volunteers at the 2014 Basement Teen Center Amazing

Race!

Doing a year of service with Ver-

mont Adaptive Ski & Sports has

been life-changing, and I feel like

the mission and work will serve as

a legacy that lives on in my life

long after I have left. Vermont

Adaptive is a close-knit family,

with only seven full-time staff

members. The program coordina-

tor positions have experienced a

lot of turnover within the past five

years, and the team has spent

this past year adjusting to these

new teammates who are learning

the ropes, and creating a sustain-

able staff and business plan mov-

ing forward. As the first ever

AmeriCorps VISTA member to

serve with this site, I had the

unique opportunity to help my

team build their internal strength

by assisting in summer and win-

ter programs, developing and

maintaining internal records

and documentation for

participants, volunteers, donors

and grants, applying for new

grants and securing over $10,000

as well as nine new monoskis,

building up strong year-round

partnerships with our UVM Adap-

tive Sports Club students, creat-

ing and executing new fundraising

events, and maintaining positive

relationships with volunteers, par-

ticipants, and their families. I had

the chance to really work with

each department in this organiza-

tion, and it felt great to focus my

year on building strength within

our internal organization so that

Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports

staff could focus more on direct

service of our mission of empow-

ering individuals with disabilities!

At our last staff meeting, our Ex-

ecutive Director took the time to

thank me for helping everyone

adjust, plan ahead, and increase

our capacity for growth moving

forward. It felt great to hear my

team applaud after Erin’s kind

and genuine words of thanks, and

I felt so lucky to have been able

to dedicate a year of my life to a

cause I truly believe in, working

with a team of people I respect,

admire, and have learned so

much from!

Volume 12, Issue 3

Julie Markarian, VYT A*VISTA member

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports

Burlington, Vermont

Julie (top right) alongside the VT Adaptive team.

This past VISTA service year at

the In-Sight Photography Project

in Brattleboro, Vermont has

been both the most rewarding

and most challenging year. I

was able to integrate myself into

a community of inspiring youth

and artists that I would never

have thought existed in a small,

rural town. I can see the youth

who come from In-Sight benefit-

ting from our programming, and

walking away after a class with a

stronger sense of self and pur-

pose that I had not seen in them

before. These youth are becom-

ing involved with the community

around them and contributing

their unique voices in ways that

are constructive and articulate.

I can see in the individuals that I

serve the impact that the organ-

ization is making. The parents I

interact with often tell me how

pivotal In-Sight is in the lives of

their children. I can see the dif-

ference I make when a parent

comes up to me and tells me

that they’ve seen their daughter

blossom in the 10

weeks she’s taken a

photo class and that

when she’s behind a

camera she’s confident

and at ease. I can see

it in the parents who

call me just to say

thank you that don’t

have to deny their children the

opportunity to participate in an

arts program because they can’t

afford the tuition or cost of ma-

terials.

I’m proud that after just one

year, I’ve strengthened our pro-

gramming curriculum with im-

plementing standards. I’m also

proud that I’ve managed to cre-

ate a standardized orientation

and training for volunteers,

which has created instructors

that are confident in leading

their classes. As someone who

will be serving a second term, I

only expect our programming

and volunteer base to improve.

Victoria Davis, VYT A*VISTA member

In-Sight Photography Project

Brattleboro, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Gender and the Narrative Exhibition

In class critique.

Volume 12, Issue 3

In my position as an AmeriCorps

VISTA member at the Kellogg-

Hubbard Library, I’m mostly in-

volved with programming and

participating in events that make

the library accessible to kids and

adults alike. For several of these,

that includes a fundraising aspect

through which we gain the funds

to ensure we can offer quality ser-

vices to the central Vermont com-

munity.

Our biggest fundraiser is always

An Evening at the Library. Both it

and our seasonal book sales saw

some of the most successful fund-

raising incomes they ever have

this year. I’m highly impressed by

how many people are eager to

support the library. The same

goes for the many business

owners who we ask for in-kind

donations. Meeting with them and

seeing how happy they are to

help makes service fulfilling.

I don’t feel so much that I am

leaving a legacy as continuing one

- nearly all of these major

programs have been going on for

some time, and I get to support

them while witnessing their

presence in the community. I’ve

begun work on my legacy manual

- a processes made much easier

by the effort of the several

VISTAs at the library before

me- and I hope I can convey to

the incoming participant that they

can look forward to a year that

will often be hectic, but that is

nearly always rewarding- and a

lot of fun!

Caitlin Wyneken, VYT A*VISTA member

Kellogg-Hubbard Library

Montpelier, Vermont

The Kellogg-Hubbard Library

Bikers participate in the Onion River Century Ride — a large fundraiser for

Kellogg-Hubbard Library in July.

Marcella Houghton, VYT A*VISTA member

Laraway Youth and Family Services/Salvation Farms

Johnson, Vermont

Heavy clouds and a threat of

sprinkles did not deter the first

Laraway Garden Celebration earli-

er this May. Clad in raincoats and

t-shirts alike, students and staff

painted signs, identified pests,

and transplanted flowers. One

group scattered bright yellow

straw on the paths as another

worked with me to construct a

bamboo arch over the entrance.

Taking in the hum of activity, I

was thrilled – and secretly re-

lieved. When I arrived last spring,

the garden was relatively new

and under sporadic maintenance.

Its presence was subtle: many

didn’t seem to know it existed.

I myself wasn’t sure of the gar-

den’s purpose and who all had a

stake in it, but further conversa-

tions revealed a legacy of garden-

ing at Laraway and a current of

support for continued agricultural

activity. Seemed like the missing

ingredient was someone who

could catalyze and facilitate the

process. Over the past year, I’ve

managed to step into that role. A

year in, teachers tell me that the

elementary students in our school

program are showing a strong

sense of ownership—a positive

sign of healthy development—in

the Three Sisters Garden, a

project I proposed and led. In the

cafeteria, vegetables and herbs

grown onsite compliment our

meals; this year, kids planted

those seeds and we decide what

to grow in consultation with kitch-

en staff. Establishing a presence

and a purpose for the Laraway

School Garden is an accomplish-

ment I’m proud to reflect on. It’s

also ongoing and couldn’t have

happened without the support

and tandem efforts of other staff.

Now that the ball is rolling, other

people are championing projects

including a word garden of paint-

ed rocks, student plots, and the

Garden Celebration itself. To me,

this effort indicates a certain

creative momentum that I’m

proud to have helped initiate.

Volume 12, Issue 3

The entrance to the Laraway school garden.

The Franklin and Grand Isle re-

gion is a beautiful yet rural area

and many of its residents do not

have adequate access to a library

or community resources. The

Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile

service is very important for this

reason. We make it easier for res-

idents to have access to books,

resources, and community con-

nections. In addition, we visit

many childcare providers and pre-

schools and provide song and sto-

ry time, afterwards letting the

children check out books. This

helps promote books to children,

who might not have much expo-

sure to books at home. We do not

only have children’s books, we

have a wide variety of young

adult fiction, non-fiction, and a

rapidly growing adult fiction

collection.

There are many stories of children

and adults alike that express their

love for the Bookmobile and how

it’s been such a positive impact

on their lives. One such story that

stuck with me happened one day

we were visiting a community

outreach stop. A father with his

child came on the Bookmobile and

both wore the biggest smiles as

they walked up the steps. We

read a few picture books and told

them they could borrow as many

books they would like. The father

sadly said they were leaving town

soon and did not want to risk los-

ing our books. Fortunately, we

keep a whole suitcase full of

give-a-ways books. They walked

away with five new books and

could not be happier. It is

moments like this that show me

all the good the Bookmobile is

accomplishing in the region.

Volume 12, Issue 3

Allie Pflughoeft, VYT A*VISTA member

Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile

Swanton, Vermont

Allie & Sara, VYT AmeriCorps VISTA members give away free books at United

Way’s The Big Shabang event.

When I first began my role as a

VISTA the idea of focusing most

of my energy into Communica-

tions sounded far from exciting. I

especially struggled with the feel-

ing that my work wouldn’t be val-

uable to my project site, due to

the fact that I was much less di-

rectly involved with the popula-

tion that I was meant to serve. It

wasn’t long though before I real-

ized how integral my input as the

VYT VISTA Communications Coor-

dinator happened to be. It’s been

consistently rewarding to know

that the staff automatically turns

to me for guidance on how to bet-

ter market their respective pro-

grams and/or work. They know

that on the fly they can ask “Hey

Nikita, I need [blank] made for

[blank]” and I will quickly crank

something out that is not only

representative of the message

they need to convey, but also well

-crafted. Of course the opportu-

nities that I do get to connect

with local youth are times that I

will always hold dear, but most of

all I love knowing that my legacy

will be overflowing with the

countless steps I’ve taken to

make sure that Essex CHIPS is

even further cemented in the

minds and hearts of community

members in Essex and Westford.

Nikita Griffin, VYT A*VISTA member

Essex CHIPS and Teen Center

Essex Junction, Vermont

Volume 12, Issue 3

Steph Olsen, VYT A*VISTA member

Montpelier Parks and Conservation

Montpelier, Vermont

A large part of my service is man-

aging at-risk youth who train at

the Parks Department through the

Department of Labor. I have

worked with teens of all ages with

so many different backgrounds. I

have learned how to be an effec-

tive leader and an effective role

model. While I have taught at-risk

youth about park management,

trail building, and conservation,

they have also taught me a lot. I

want to share with you a story of

one of my trainees. This is a

beautiful example of how I know I

have made a difference during my

AmeriCorps service terms.

Many of the young men we work

with have been in trouble with

substances or with the law. I can

remember one young man who

came to us with little motivation

and was not fond of doing outside

work. He had no positive figures

in his life. He came to us with lit-

tle knowledge of invasive plants,

trees, or trail maintenance. He

worked with me on various tasks

throughout the summer. Each

week he improved his behavior

and showed leadership skills.

He finished his term at the park

with so many new skills. Being a

positive role model is so im-

portant for youth like this trainee

and so many others I serve with.

I have so many inspirational sto-

ries and new leadership skills to

take with me. I believe wearing

the title of a VISTA is an honor to

those who give a year of service,

to their communities.

Nikita at her desk at Essex CHIPS

Washington County Youth Service

Bureau/Boys & Girls Club

PO Box 627 /38 Elm Street

Montpelier, VT 05601-0627

Phone: 802-229-9151

Fax: 802-229-2508

Website: https://sites.google.com/

site/vermontyouthtomorrowavista/

M. Kadie Schaeffer

Director of National

Service Programs

[email protected]

The opinions expressed in the articles in this newsletter belong to the individual writers and do not

necessarily reflect the views of the site where the VISTA serves, Vermont Youth Tomorrow, the Washington

County Youth Service Bureau, the Boys & Girls Club, SerVermont, or CNCS.

Vermont Youth Tomorrow A*VISTA Program

Kirsten Brewer

Assistant Director of National

Service Programs

[email protected]

Callie Frey

Assistant Director of National

Service Programs

[email protected]

Jessi Engelke

Assistant Director of

National Service Programs

[email protected]

Anna Houston

VYT VISTA Leader

[email protected]

VYT is sponsored by the

Washington County Youth

Service Bureau/Boys &

Girls Club.

Playing sit volleyball for

part of Julie’s end of service

presentation in Randolph,

demonstrating how sports

can be adapted for those

who cannot stand.

Kiki used a parachute to

display photos from her

year of service at Essex

CHIPS. The focus of her

serviced was helping to

build community awareness

about the services provided

at her site.

https://sites.google.com/site/vermontyouthtomorrowavista/

https://sites.google.com/site/vermontyouthtomorrowavista/

https://www.facebook.com/vermontyouthtomorrow

https://twitter.com/VYTVISTA

http://vytandvydc.tumblr.com/

vyt voices summer 2014

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